Transport container

ABSTRACT

Improvements in a collapsible transport container of the type having a bottom, longitudinal side walls, a rear wall and a detachable cover, the improvements essentially comprising inner connecting rods attachable to elongated side wall supporting lugs and the cover to stiffen the container in the operative position, outer connecting rods to hold the collapsed container together in a pack of reduced dimensions, sealing means between the various parts of the container, hinge means between the bottom and the walls including the front door to enable the various walls to be turned down and to be placed one above the other, fitting means between the cover and the side walls, and rod and latch means on the door for firmly closing it, the various parts of the container having the form of a battlement in cross section to increase its strength.

United States Patent Bonomi [451 Aug. 15, 1972 [54] TRANSPORT CONTAINER Primary Examiner-M. Henson Wood, in

Assistant Examiner--John J Love 9 P t q [72] Inventor ;?33; Eg Mercdto 7 Attorney-Oberlm, Maky, Donne-lly & Renner [22] Filed: Nov. 10, 1970 57] ABSTRACT Appl. No.: 88,315

Improvements in a collapsible-transport container of the type having a bottom, longitudinal side walls, a rear wall and a detachable cover, the improvements essentially comprising inner connecting rods attacha ble to elongated side wall supporting lugs and the cover to stiffen the container in the operative position, outer connecting rods to hold the collapsed container together in a pack of reduced dimensions, sealing means between the various parts of the container, hinge means between the bottom and the walls including the front door to enable the various walls to be turned down and to be placed one above the other,

fitting'means between the cover and the side walls, and rod and latch means on the door for firmly closing it, the various parts of the container having the form of a battlement in cross section to increase its strength.

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TRANSPORT CONTAINER This invention relates to an improved collapsible container for transportation of goods.

The known containers for transportation of goods generally comprise a box of various material, for example, wood, aluminum, iron, reinforced plastics or the like,practically a rectangular parallelepipedic box of standard dimensions. This invention is concerned with a container of this type having an aperture on one of the small end faces which is closed by a door. Such containers can be loaded and transferred in the loaded condition from one means, of transport to another. Hitherto they have been generally constructed with a rigid support structure so that their dimensions in the empty condition are exactly the same as in the loaded condition.

Attempts have also been made to construct such containers with a collapsible support structure to facilitate their transportation when empty and storing. Such a container is described, for example, in Italian Pat. No. 821,833 of the same Applicant, filed Dec. 7, 1967.

Other collapsible containers are known in which there is provided a cover which can be removed from the rest of the support structure while the peripheral walls can be collapsed onto the base portion so as to form a single pack of reduced dimensions to facilitate transportation of the container when when it is empty while at thesame time each element of the container can be replaced without having to resort to a specialized workshop.

This invention provides improvements to a transport container of the latter type, which essentially comprise:

a. inner connecting rods arranged along the side walls for connection of the bottom to the cover and stiffening the container in the loaded condition, said inner connecting rods having hooked ends for insertion into recesses provided inwardly in the cover and elongated side wall supporting lugs on the bottom, said inner connecting rods being further provided centrally with an internally threaded sleeve cooperating with corresponding threads on each of the connecting rods, which are in two halves, to permit the length of the connecting rods to be adjusted;

. outer connecting rods similar to the inner connecting rods but of shorter length and serving to fix the elements of the collapsed container in an easily transportable small pack, said outer connecting rods being likewise provided with hooked ends for insertion into recesses provided outwardly in the cover and elongated side wall supporting lugs on the bottom;

c. sealing means including airtight gaskets secured in longitudinal grooves in the side walls and cooperating with a pointed top of the opposed elongated lugs on the bottom, and gaskets between the rear wall and the side walls, between the two leaves of the front door, between the doorposts and the side walls, and the rear wall and the bottom;

d. hinge means between the bottom and the front door and the bottom and the rear wall and between said elongated side wall supporting lugs and the said walls, said hinge means being located inwardly of the container at different heights to pemiit the various walls to be turned down and placed one above the other; and

e. rod and latch means with handles for firmly closing the leaves of the front door.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a general perspective external view of the transport container according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the container in the collapsed condition;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the collapsed container;

FIG. Sis a rear view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view showing part of the bottom and part of its covering;

FIG. 7 is a section taken on the line a-a in FIG. 6, showing the hinges for turning the side walls;

FIGS. 8 to 11 show details of the sealings or gaskets employed, i.e.

FIG. 8 shows the gasket employed between the cover, bottom and side walls (FIG. 14);

FIG. 9 shows the gasket of the front door;

FIG. 10 shows the gasket used between the two leaves of the front door;

FIG. 11 shows the lateral gasket (FIG. 12);

FIG. 12 is a part perspective view of an upper portion provided with cover fitting means;

FIG. 13 is a part perspective view of an outer corner block provided with apertures for connection of the containers between one another, either in the operative or collapsed condition, by conventional hooking means;

FIG. 14 is a part perspective view showing a corner of the cover from below with means for connection to the rest of the container;

FIG. 15 is a section taken on the line b--b in FIG. 6, showing the bottom with'covering, the two longitudinal side walls, the cover in a modifiedi embodiment having two leaves, and the hooked rods for connection of the bottom to the cover;

FIG. 16 is a transverse section taken on theline d-d in FIG. 6, showing the collapsed container of FIG. 3 on a larger scale;

FIG. 17 is a schematic longitudinal section showing the hinges of the door;

FIG. 18 is a longitudinal section showing the two leaves of the door and the central gaskets therebetween;

FIG. 19 is a longitudinal section showing the hinge means for turning the door and the rear wall;

FIG. 20 is a part view showing a hook of an intermediate inner rod for connection to the cover;

FIG. 21 is a part view showing a hook of an intermediate inner rod for connection to the bottom;

FIG. 22 is a general external view of an inner connecting rod;

FIG. 23 is a part sectional view showing a corner of the collapsed container without connecting rods;

FIG. 24 is a part sectional view showing an upper corner block and an inner connecting rod hooked to the cover;

FIG. 25 is a part sectional view similar to FIG. 24, but showing a lower corner block and inner connecting rod hooked to the bottom;

FIG. 26 is a general external view of a comer connecting rod of the same type as the intermediate connecting rods;

FIG. 27 is a transverse section showing the hinge means for connection of the side walls to the bottom;

FIG. 28 is a transverse section similar to that of FIG. 27, taken on the line cc in FIG. 6 and showing the container in the collapsed condition;

FIG. 29 is a part front view showing the intermediate hinge means for turning down a side wall, and

FIG. 30 is a part front view similar to that of FIG. 29, but showing the hinge means for turning down the opposite side wall.

Although in the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings the support structure of the container is supposed to consist of metal, it will be understood that its walls, bottom and cover may also be made of different material such as wood without departing from the scope of the invention.

An improved collapsable container according to the invention comprises a bottom 1 provided inwardly of the container with a covering 1' and having pivotally mounted at its short sides in and 0, respectively, a rear wall 2 and a front door 3 formed of two leaves 3 and 3", so that the parts 2 and 3 can be turned through 90 and deposited on the bottom 1.

At the long sides of the bottom 1 two equal elongated lugs 4 and 5 extending over the entire length of the long sides of the container are formed integrally with the bottom 1. Side walls 8 and 9 are pivotally mounted on the elongated lugs 4 and 5, respectively, by means of hinges 6 and 7 arranged at different heights. An upper cover formed of covering material attached to a peripheral frame can be fixed on the walls 2, 3, 8 and 9 with the aid of suitable fitting means (FIGS. 12 and 14) formed of pins 11 carriedby the walls and arranged to penetrate into corresponding holes 11' provided on the inside of the frame of the cover 10.

A plurality of recesses are provided along the long sides of the frame of the cover 10 and the elongated lugs 4 and 5 formed integrally with the bottom 1, such recesses being provided both inwardly and outwardly of the container. The inner recesses 12 and 12 each receive a hooked end 13 of a plurality of connecting rods 14 each provided with an inwardly threaded sleeve 15" and serving to connect the cover 10 to the bottom 1 intermediately of the ends thereof and to stiffen the support structure in the loaded condition of the container. The outer recesses 15 and 15 serve to receive hooked ends of further connecting rods 16 similar to the connecting rods 14, but of shorter length, and serving to fix the collapsed container in an easily transportable small pack. The inwardly threaded sleeve 15" cooperates with corresponding threads on each of the connecting rods 14 which are in two heaves to permit the length of the connecting rods to be adjusted.

The four inner connecting rods arranged at the end or in the comers (FIG. 26), which are of the same type as the-others, are hooked with their upper hooked ends in loops 17 provided on square blocks 18 secured to the cover 10.

The improved container is further provided on its four upper and four lower corners with corner blocks 19 having apertures 20 and 21 for inserting the hooks of a lifting apparatus (not shown).

A further improvement provided by the present invention consists in the provision of airtight seals or gaskets between the various elements forming the container. Thus, the sealing between the elongated lugs 4 and 5 and the long side walls 8 and 9 and between the latter and the cover 10 is effected by gaskets 22 (FIG. 8) which are secured in longitudinal grooves in the side walls 8 and 9 and in the operative position of the container are centrally deformed by engagement on the pointed top of the opposed elongated lug 4 or 5. Other types of gaskets are shown in FIGS. 9, l0 and l 1. FIG. 9 shows a mushroom type gasket 23 intended to be mounted above and below the leaves of the front door 3. The sealing between the two leaves of the front door is effected by gaskets 24 which are located obliquely opposite each other for reciprocal cooperation. The lateral sealing between the doorposts and the long side walls 8 and 9 and between the side edges of the rear wall 2 and the long side walls 8 and 9 is obtained by L- shaped gaskets shown in FIG. 11, located in the four inner corners and cooperating with ledges or stops 25 or 26 provided on the front door 3 and on the rear wall 2, respectively.

Vertical rods 27 provided with latch means at their upper and lower ends serve to firmly close the front door 3, the rods 27'being arranged to be turned about their own axes by handles 28 so that the latches at their ends, as they turn, will be hooked into cooperating loops 29 fixed on the outer frame of the front door 3.

In a modified embodiment, shown in FIG. 15, the cover 10 is formed of two leaves 30 between which a gasket 24 similar to the one used between the leaves of the front door 3 (FIG. 10) is employed.

In the described and illustrated embodiment the elements forming the long side walls, the rear wall, the front door and the cover are made of pressed sheet metal the strength of which in relation to its weight is increased by a cross section in the form of a battlement produced by deep-drawing.

The operation of collapsing the container for its transportation in the empty condition in a pack of greatly reduced dimensions is greatly facilitated according to the present invention and is effected in the following manner:

The inner connecting rods 14 are removed, the cover 10 is lifted by suitable lifting means, the front door 3 and rear wall 2 are turned down and deposited on the bottom 1 and the connecting rods are placed in the remaining empty space. Then the side wall 8 is turned down and placed on the parts 2 and 3, the other side wall 9 is turned down and placed on top of all the other walls, and finally the cover 10 (FIGS. 16 and 28) is lowered onto the assembly of the collapsed container which is clamped together by the connecting rods 16 which with their hooked ends are inserted in the outer recesses 15 and 15'. In this condition the collapsed container can be lifted and transported as desired.

The collapsing operations can be carried out manually, the strength of two operators being sufficient for these operations, or a lifting apparatus can be used which is attached to suitable connecting means provided on the outside of the walls of the container.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

I claim:

1. In a collapsible transport container having a bottom, longitudinal side walls, a rear wall, 'a front door and a detachable cover, the improvements comprising a. inner connecting rods arranged along the side walls for connection of the bottom to the cover and stiffening the container in the loaded condition, said inner connecting rods having hooked ends for insertion into recesses provided inwardly in the cover and elongated side wall support lugs on the bottom, said inner connecting rods being further provided centrally with an internally threaded sleeve cooperating with corresponding threads on each of the connecting rods, which are in two halves, to permit the length of the connecting rods to be adjusted;

. outer connecting rods similar to the inner connecting rods but of shorter length and serving to fix the elements of the collapsed container in an easily transportable small pack, said outer connecting rods being likewise provided with hooked ends for insertion into recesses provided outwardly in the cover and elongated side wall supporting lugs on the bottom;

c. sealing means including airtight gaskets secured in longitudinal grooves in the side walls and cooperating with a pointed top of the opposed elongated lugs on the bottom, and gaskets between the rear wall and the side walls, between the two leaves of the front door, between the doorposts and the leaves of the front door, between the doorposts and the side walls, and the rear wall and the bottom;

d. hinge means between the bottom and the front door and the bottom and the rear wall and between said elongated side wall supporting lugs and the side walls, said hinge means being located inwardly of the container at different heights to permit the various walls to be turned down and placed one above the other; and

e. rod and latch means with handles for firmly closing the leaves of the front door,

2. A collapsible transport container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bottom, rear wall, side walls, front door and cover are made of pressed sheet metal having the form of a battlement in cross section.

3. A collapsible transport container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bottom has a battlement form in cross section and provided with a flat covering.

4. A collapsible transport container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sealing between said elongated side wall supporting lugs and the side walls and the latter and the cover is formed of gaskets secured in longitudinal grooves in the side walls so as to be deformed centrally in the operative position of the container by engagement with the pointed top of the opposed elongated lugs on the bottom, the gaskets above and below the leaves of the front door are generally mushroomshaped, the gaskets between the leaves of the front door are located obliquely opposite each other for reciprocal cooperation, and the other gaskets have a generally L-shaped configuration. i

5. A collapsible transport container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover is formed of two leaves like the front door. 

1. In a collapsible transport container having a bottom, longitudinal side walls, a rear wall, a front door and a detachable cover, the improvements comprising a. inner connecting rods arranged along the side walls for connection of the bottom to the cover and stiffening the container in the loaded condition, said inner connecting rods having hooked ends for insertion into recesses provided inwardly in the cover and elongated side wall support lugs on the bottom, said inner connecting rods being further provided centrally with an internally threaded sleeve cooperating with corresponding threads on each of the connecting rods, which are in two halves, to permit the length of the connecting rods to be adjusted; b. outer connecting rods similar to the inner connecting rods but of shorter length and serving to fix the elements of the collapsed container in an easily transportable small pack, said outer connecting rods being likewise provided with hooked ends for insertion into recesses provided outwardly in the cover and elongated side wall supporting lugs on the bottom; c. sealing means including airtight gaskets secured in longitudinal grooves in the side walls and cooperating with a pointed top of the opposed elongated lugs on the bottom, and gaskets between the rear wall and the side walls, between the two leaves of the front door, between the doorposts and the leaves of the front door, between the doorposts and the side walls, and the rear wall and the bottom; d. hinge means between the bottom and the front door and the bottom and the rear wall and between said elongated side wall supporting lugs and the side walls, said hinge means being located inwardly of the container at different heights to peRmit the various walls to be turned down and placed one above the other; and e. rod and latch means with handles for firmly closing the leaves of the front door.
 2. A collapsible transport container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bottom, rear wall, side walls, front door and cover are made of pressed sheet metal having the form of a battlement in cross section.
 3. A collapsible transport container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bottom has a battlement form in cross section and provided with a flat covering.
 4. A collapsible transport container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sealing between said elongated side wall supporting lugs and the side walls and the latter and the cover is formed of gaskets secured in longitudinal grooves in the side walls so as to be deformed centrally in the operative position of the container by engagement with the pointed top of the opposed elongated lugs on the bottom, the gaskets above and below the leaves of the front door are generally mushroom-shaped, the gaskets between the leaves of the front door are located obliquely opposite each other for reciprocal cooperation, and the other gaskets have a generally L-shaped configuration.
 5. A collapsible transport container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover is formed of two leaves like the front door. 